ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dreamt

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈdɹɛmt// UK //dɹˈɛmpt// dreamt
Definition

v. the past tense of 'dream'. You use it when you talk about the stories or pictures your mind made while you were asleep.

v. the past tense and past participle of 'dream'. This spelling is more common in British English than in American English.


SIMPLE

I dreamt about flying last night.

CONTEXTUAL

She dreamt of a life in the city where she could finally pursue her art career.

COMPLEX

The explorer dreamt of finding the lost city for decades, but the reality of the jungle proved far more punishing than his imagination had suggested.

Origin

From dream + -t.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Usage

Often followed by the prepositions 'of' or 'about'.

Pitfall

I have dream about itI have dreamt about itThe past participle 'dreamt' is required after the auxiliary verb 'have' in the present perfect tense.

Last updated May 6, 2026